1. From an early age, be active in your neighborhood. Try to live in the same area where you grew up. If the local politics don't gel with your own, that probably won't be possible.
2. Be elected to alderman in that neighborhood. (EDIT: I just realized that many non-urban places probably don't have aldermen. In that case, I'd try to get some sort of county-level position.)
3. Be elected to Congress in your district.
4. Be elected to Senate/governorship.
5. Run for president.

Oh yeah, you'll probably want to major in Political Science and go to law school.

(On a more personal level, I'd probably follow the Dick Gephardt path, given that I'm from St. Louis. That would involve skipping step 4 and being a representative longer, since Missouri state politics generally preclude St. Louis politicians from doing well in statewide elections. Of course, he didn't win any of the 2004 primaries... )

Politicians are suppose to take money, not the other way around! :surprised :surprised :surprised

Actually you can take the life-long political career path Manchot pointed out and yah, prepare to enter into some sort of law/political science/business major.

Alternatively, I suspect you could become an expert in a field that has some sort of Secretary associated with it. Say for example... secretary of education. You could be an administrator for a school district... slowly move up the ladder through the local and higher levels and become the Secretary of Education. If you somehow get recognized by an administration and political party, you may have a chance. If I were dumb enough to try to run for President and ruin everyones life, I'd stick with Manchot's idea.

I hope you're being facetious. He was the commander-in-chief during the war that birthed this nation. Dubya got into the governorship of Texas with money that his father earned and respect that his father earned.

Politicians are suppose to take money, not the other way around! :surprised :surprised :surprised

No no no, it's much more like an investment, or perhaps a gamble. You pay to get in , and if you succeed then you can collect big - bribery, extortion, embezzlement, whatever's your game. The traditional method is to award overpriced no-bids contracts to old friends, in exchange for a percentage, or some other kickbacks (this one's popular in the House this term ). Or you could set up some sort of elaborate fraud - no one will know. Mind you, it's important not to take any unnecessary risks - always keep a nice buffer zone of unwitting expendables to take the blame.

Watch news as much as possible.Infact by a new tv and put some where in your house and leave it on the News all the time.My great grandfather was state senortor he watches the news all the time(I'am kind of wondering if it's gentic since me and my watch the news alot too).Make sure you understand alot of poltical issues.Make sure you understand how everthing in the goverment works everthing form the President/congress to the pages(there the high school students that help the congressmen during the summer).Try to memorize as many laws as possible and make sure you understand there loop holpes.Also make sure you know as much about the courts as possible there very importent.Make sure you know all the rules about congress and the U.N.